Escaped gas venting apparatus



April 1, 969 K. c. BoRsT ET AL ESCAPED GAS VENTING APPARATUS sheet of 2 Filed Sept. 13, 196'? April l, 1969 K. c. BoRsT ET AL ESCAPED GAS VENTING APPARATUS Sheet of' 2 Filed sapt. 15, 1967 5 s mm N W55 0^ mwa W TE /T Vw kan@ United States Patent O 3,436,197 ESCAPED GAS VENTING APPARATUS Kenneth C. Borst, 2104 3rd St., Perry, Iowa 50220, and Roscoe C. Barnes, Lafayette, Ind.; said Barnes assignor to said Borst Filed Sept. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 667,503 Int. Cl. F17d 3/00 U.S. Cl. 48--192 7 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates generally to apparatus for venting escaping gas, and particularly to a combination of two traps for a gas line between a building and a gas service main, one trap attached exteriorly and adjacent to the building foundation wall; another trap attached interiorly to the wall and sealed off from the atmosphere interior of the wall; each trap interconnected by vents exposed to the atmosphere, thereby permitting the trapped gas to escape.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The field of this art includes a number of devices attached to gas lines to trap escaping gas moving along a service main outside of a building; however, the eld has been void of any device which will entrap such gas Within a building.

It is a well known fact that one time or another a conventional gas service main will develop a leak, and that frequently the leak will develop in that portion of pipe traversing a building foundation wall. The leaking gas follows a path of least resistance and will usually move along the gas line and away from a high pressure area such as a street gas main. The line of least resistance at the foundation wall is the place where the service main traverses the foundation, and this is especially true in those cases where the pipe, foundation, or seal is older or faulty, and either has begun to deteriorate. The escaping gas will accumulate wherever possible, as within the building, forming with air an explosive compound needing only a spark or the like to cause an explosion norm-ally resulting in fire.

This invention alleviates this danger by doubly entrapping the leaking gas moving along the service main, rst exteriorly before it enters the vbuilding in addition to secondly trapping any gas either escaping the exterior trap or caused by leakage within the foundation portion of the pipe, then venting the gas safely to the atmosphere.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a safety device capable of entrapping gas leaking from a service gas main and venting it to the atmosphere.

It is another object of this invention to provide a gas trap which is adaptable to placement within a building which will effectively entrap and remove any leaking gas traversing a foundation wall.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a gas trap which will entrap leaking gas before it enters a building.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a combination gas trap which will entrap escaping gas both within and without a building and which necessitates the -use of only one exteriorly exposed vent.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a safety combination gas trap capable of attaining the above designated objectives which is simple, economical, and effective.

These objects, and other features and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent upon reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the following drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing in assembled relation with a gas service main a single gas trap positioned away from an exterior foundation wall, and a combination trap positioned adjacent each side of the wall;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view as taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1, and showing the relationship of the gas service main to the trap;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to FIG. 1, showing a modification of the invention wherein the trap casing is oval in shape; and

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view as taken along the lines 4 4 in FIG. 3 and shows spacing lugs positioning the trap casing around the gas pipe.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and particularly FIG. 1, a single gas trap and vent is indicated generally at 10, and is shown in assembled relation with a conventional gas service main 11 located between a building exterior foundation wall I12, and a street main (not shown). The service main 11 is made of metal piping generally one and one-quarter to one and one-half inches in diameter. The service main 11 generally follows a horizontal plane and intersects the vertical foundation wall 12 at a right angle.

Encircling the gas service main 11 is a circular casing 13 of rigid plastic or similar material. The casing 13 is substantially larger in diameter than the gas service main 11, as best illustrated in FIG. 2. It is seen that the casing 13 is disposed concentrically about the main 11, spaced radially therefrom. The casing 13 is comprised of two half-sections 26 and 27, attached by epoxy or like material inserted between pairs of flanges 24 and 25 projecting from the sides of the upper section 27 and the lower section 26 of the casing 13. The flanges are disposed normally horizontally and extend parallel to the longitudinal `axis of the casing 13.

The inside of the casing 13 forms a cavity within which dirt, or in some cases stones, gravel or the like may be placed about the main 11 to aid in trapping the gas. The opposite ends 14 and 16 of the casing 13 are open to the surrounding dirt encompassing the trap 13 and the service main 11, thereby allowing free passage of any gas following the route of the gas line 11 to come within the cavity formed within the casing 13. The casing cavity is enlarged by the provision of an annular flange 17 formed on the upper side of the casing 13, and open to the interior thereof.

To position the casing 13 around the stationary gas service main 11, the unattached lower section 26 of the casing 13 is slid under the rnain 11. Epoxy or like material is then spread across the entire length of the upper surface of the flange 25, and the upper section 27 of the casing 13 is placed on top of the lower section 26 with the flanges 24 and 25 properly aligned. Temporary clamps (not shown) may be used for the flanges until the sections 26 and 27 are securely attached. The temporary clamps may be left on or removed as desired.

A vertical vent pipe 18 connects the casing 13 at the vertical flange 17. As the vent pipe 18 is substantially smaller than the orice of the flange 17, a conventional reducer 19 is necessary to seal the opening of the flange 17 from entry of any surrounding dirt. The vent pipe 18 protrudes above the ground grade 21 to a predetermined distance, based upon the normal snowfall for the locality, and is capped to the atmosphere by a conventional vent cap 22. The vent cap prevents such items as dirt, rain, and snow from entering the vent 18 while permitting gas trapped in the casing 13 to escape to the atmosphere (see the left hand arrows in FIG. 1).

Referring to the right side of FIG. 1, placement of a pair of casings 29 and 31 in a tunique combination relative to the exterior foundation wall 12 is illustrated. It should be remembered that both casings 29 and 31 are identical to casing 13 unless described differently hereinafter.

The inside casing 29 encircles the entering service main 11 prior to the mains 11 juncture with the meter (not shown). An open lateral end 34 of the casing 29 is set in and embedded in the interior surface 32 of the wall 12 and is sealed thereto with epoxy or like material. The opposite end 36 is sealed from the interior atmosphere of the building by a conventional reducer 37 tted within the orice of the lateral end 36 and contiguous to the exterior wall 40 of the service main 11 at that point.

A vertical vent pipe 39 is connected and sealed to the vertical annular ange 41 of the casing 29 with a reducer 42 as hereinbefore described. The vent pipe 39 extends to a right angle elbow 43, the length of the vent 39 being determined by the ground grade 21 exterior the wall 12. A horizontal vent pipe 44 connects the elbow 43 and traverses the wall 12 to the exterior thereof. A forty-tive degree angle elbow 4S is connected to the exposed end of the vent 44 and a short length of pipe 50 connects the entire vent 39, 43, 44, 4S to a Y 47 extending from the vertical vent 48 for the outside casing 28 as hereinafter described.

Referring now to the outside casing device 31 (FIG. 1), it encircles the main 11 prior to its traversing through the wall 12. An open inner end 49 is adjacent to the exterior surface 46 of the wall 12 and sealed thereto. The opposite end 51 is open in the direction of the street gas main (not shown) to permit any gas following the pipe 11 to become entrapped within the cavity formed within the casing 31. Though the frontal area preceding the opening 51 may be encompassed with till, the lill will not pack so tight as to detour the gas iiow into the trap 31.

A vertical vent pipe 48 is connected and sealed to the vertical ange 52 of the casing 31 by the use of a reducer 53. The vertical vent 48 provides not only an escape for the trapped gas, but serves also to stabilize the vertical position of the casing 31. The vent pipe 48 protrudes above ground grade 21 and interconnects a Y- juncture 47. The Y 47 serves to connect the interior and exterior casings 29 and 31, thus necessitating the use of only one vent opening 54 to the atmosphere. The vertical vent pipe 48 extends beyond the Y 47 and connects a vent cap 22 as hereinbefore described.

The exterior T-tube 31 (FIG. 1) may be substituted by an oval shaped trap 56 (FIG. 3) of like material as the casing 31 and encircling the gas main 11 in substantially the same manner as the casing 31. However, the posterior wall S7 of the oval trap 56 extends to the exterior surface 40 of the main 11 and is sealed thereto. The abutting back portion 59 is contiguous to the outer surface 46 of the wall 12 and attached thereto. A vertical vent pipe 48 connects the upper annular flange 61 of the cavity and thereby vents the trap 56. The casing end 62 nearest the street main (not shown) is formed with a plurality of spacing lugs 63 (FIG. 4) extending from the rim 64 of the opening 62 to the outer diameter 40 of the main 11. These lugs 63, of any rigid material, center the oval trap 56 about the main 11 and act as a screen to withhold dirt and roots from entering the trap 56.

-In operation, leaking gas will naturally flow away from a high pressure area, such as a street main and will follow the path of least resistance, that being the unpacked ground surrounding a service main 11. The gas will flow into the exterior trap 31 or 56, and meet the sealedback portion of the trap 57 (FIG. 3) or the wall sur 4 face 46 (FIG. 1). There it will collect to escape the trap 31 or 56 up the vent pipe 48, that being the path of least resistance, and to the atmosphere. Likewise, any gas escaping through a leak in the main 11 at its most vulnerable portion, that being where it traverses the wall 12, will naturally follow the main 11 into the building and will be entrapped in the interior trap 29. There it will take the route of least resistance out the provided vent 39 and to the atmosphere.

Although the preferred embodiment and a modification thereof have been shown and described hereinbefore, it is to be remembered that various other alternative constructions can be made thereto without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Escaped gas venting apparatus for a gas line extending through a foundation wall comprising:

first gas entrapment means forming a chamber open at both ends above the line at a location between the gas main andthe foundation wall;

second gas entrapment means forming a chamber above the line at a location on the interior side of the foundation wall, said second means set partially into the foundation wall at one end, said end being open to the foundation wall and with the opposite end sealed off from the atmosphere; and

conduit means connected in an air tight manner to said first and second means and communicating said chambers to the atmosphere.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and wherein each of said gas entrapment means includes a casing having an annular flange formed in its normally upper side, which flange denes an opening open to the respective chamber therebelow, and each flange being connected to said conduit means.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, and wherein each casing is cylindrical and encircles the gas line in a radially spaced, concentric manner.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, and wherein each casing comprises a pair of half-sections having mating anges disposed normally horizontally to either side of the line.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, and wherein said conduit means comprises an exterior vent pipe connected at its lower end to said annular flange of said rst means casing and at its upper end to a vent cap, and an interior vent pipe connected at its lower end to said second means casing annular flange, extended through the foundation wall and iiuid connected to said exterior pipe intermediate said 4upper and lower ends thereof.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, and wherein either casing has a cylindrical, oval shape in longitudinal cross section with the inner diameter at the longitudinal center thereof greater than the inner diameter of said ends thereof.

7. Apparatus as dened in claim 46, and wherein either end of said oval casing has a plurality of spacing lugs extended radially inwardly for engagement with the gas line whereby to maintain the said either end concentrically spaced from the gas line.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 316,967 2/1885 Heber 48-193 2,438,619 3/ 1948 Rattay 48-194 X 3,246,968 4/ 1966 Bailey 48-193 3,338,254 8/1967 Regal 48-193 LLOYD L. KING, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM E. WAYNER, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. XR. 

